Responses of fishes and lampreys to the re‐creation of meanders in a small English chalk stream

Published source details Champkin J.D., Copp G.H., Sayer C.D., Clilverd H.M., George L., Vilizzi L., Godard M.J., Clarke J. & Walker A.M. (2018) Responses of fishes and lampreys to the re‐creation of meanders in a small English chalk stream. River Research and Applications, 34, 34-43.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Create or restore meanders to straightened rivers  Action Link
	Create or restore backwater habitats Action Link
	Remove or modify flood embankments Action Link

Create or restore meanders to straightened rivers 

A controlled, before-and-after study in 2009–2014 in a stream in Norfolk, UK (Champkin et al. 2018) found that restoring meanders, along with removing embankments and creating backwater habitats, resulted in a decrease in European eel Anguilla anguilla numbers, while no change was observed at an unrestored site. Average numbers of European eels were lower after stream restoration work was carried out (27 eels) than before (75 eels). There was no significant difference in average eel numbers at an unrestored site over the same time period (‘before’: 35 eels; ‘after’: 12 eels). In 2009–2010, a 370-m long section of chalk stream was restored by restoring meanders, removing flood embankments (0.4–1-m high; March 2009) and creating six backwater habitats (3–18 m long) from the former channel (August 2010). Small patches of locally-sourced reed sweet-grass Glyceria maxima were planted to stabilize the meanders. A 160-m long section located upstream was left unrestored and was used as a comparison. Eels were sampled at the restored and unrestored sites on consecutive days during electrofishing surveys on three occasions before (2009) and four occasions after (2011–2014) restoration. 

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
Create or restore backwater habitats

A controlled, before-and-after study in 2009–2014 in a stream in Norfolk, UK (Champkin et al. 2018) found that creating backwater habitats, along with removing embankments and restoring meanders, resulted in a decrease in European eel Anguilla anguilla numbers, whilst no change was observed at an unrestored site. Average numbers of European eels were lower after stream restoration work was carried out (27 eels) than before (75 eels). There was no significant difference in average eel numbers at an unrestored site over the same time period (‘before’: 35 eels; ‘after’: 12 eels). In 2009–2010, a 370-m long section of chalk stream was restored by creating six backwater habitats (3–18 m long) from the former channel (August 2010), removing flood embankments (0.4–1-m high; March 2009) and restoring meanders. Small patches of locally-sourced reed sweet-grass Glyceria maxima were planted to stabilize the meanders. A 160-m long section located upstream was left unrestored and used as a comparison. Eels were sampled at the restored and unrestored sites on consecutive days during electrofishing surveys on three occasions before (2009) and four occasions after (2011–2014) restoration.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
Remove or modify flood embankments

A controlled, before-and-after study in 2009–2014 in a stream in Norfolk, UK (Champkin et al. 2018) found that removing embankments, along with creating backwater habitats and restoring meanders, resulted in a decrease in European eel Anguilla anguilla numbers, whilst no change was observed at an unrestored site. Average numbers of European eels were lower after stream restoration work was carried out (27 eels) than before (75 eels). There was no significant difference in average eel numbers at an unrestored site over the same time period (‘before’: 35 eels; ‘after’: 12 eels). In 2009–2010, a 370-m long section of chalk stream was restored by removing flood embankments (0.4–1-m high; March 2009), creating six backwater habitats (3–18 m long) from the former channel (August 2010), and restoring meanders. Small patches of locally-sourced reed sweet-grass Glyceria maxima were planted to stabilize the meanders. A 160-m long section located upstream was left unrestored and used as a comparison. Eels were sampled at the restored and unrestored sites on consecutive days during electrofishing surveys on three occasions before (2009) and four occasions after (2011–2014) restoration.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)